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Another Alexa skill that I worked on for Audible has just been published… introducing AudibleBook Finder!

This is a new skill from Amazon’s Audible subsidiary that lets users simply say “Alexa, tell me a story”.

Alexa will either read you a short story from her own small collection (in her own voice), or you can choose a free short story from Audible in one of four categories (Mystery, Sci-fi, Horror or Kids).

These Audible stories are commissioned and curated by Audible for this skill and many are narrated by well-known celebrities, including Stephen Fry, Sir David Jason, Andrew Scott, Russell Tovey, Juliet Stevenson and Colin Salmon.

Give it a try – it’s free, and it works on any Alexa device. You can find it in the UK and US Alexa stores (links below).

This update adds a user guide, which is delivered by email. When you say “send me the user guide” the skill guides you to grant permissions to your email address and first name using a ‘permissions card’ it sends to your Alexa app. Once you’ve done that, just relaunch and ask for the user guide again. Also in this update are dedicated screen support for Echo Show 5, and some minor big fixes.

My popular skill Call Handler just got a big update! Apologies in advance to any telemarketers who find themselves on the receiving end!

Call Handler makes is easy to reject unwanted calls without the need for an awkward conversation. Just launch the skill and place the phone down beside your Echo device. Your caller hears a pre-recorded – occasionally cheeky – message telling them their call is not welcome.

It can also play ‘on-hold’ music if you need to step away to fetch a pencil & paper, or a coffee. Version 2.0 adds support for display devices, new call rejection messages, one-shot invocations and music on hold tracks. It can now also speak using several different voices, and just play a ‘disconnect tone’ on launch, if that’s what you want. Details in the skill description page.

Countdown Conundrum is a simple yet challenging word puzzle game, where you have 30 seconds to unscramble the letters of a common word.That’s all there is to it, but you’ll feel the pressure build as the seconds tick away. Writing down the letters might help, but also eats into your time.Good luck!

Update: (February 2019) Countdown Conundrum just got a whole new word database, faster game play, score tracking, a new host (Brian) and some other nice additions. On display devices, you can now see your scrambled letters, and quickly leave us suggestions, ratings or feedback just by scanning a QR code with your phone!

This skill was inspired by Countdown, one of the longest-running TV game shows in the world.It’s been running in the UK since 1982, and in France since 1965.

To get started, just find the skill using the link above for your local Amazon store, enable it, then say to Alexa,

“Alexa, play Countdown Conundrum.”

Alexa will ask if you are ready to play. Just tell her you’re ready and off you go.

Tips:

Have a pencil and paper ready to write down the letters.

If you can’t unscramble the word, say so and Brian (Alexa) will tell you.

Look for suffixes, prefixes and other patterns, like -ING, -ION, etc.

If you got a different word from the one Alexa was thinking about, take the points anyway!

You can interrupt if you guess the word early. Just say “Alexa, I got it”.

If the current word is too frustrating you can interrupt and say “Alexa, I give up”.

When you’re finished, just say Stop to end the session. If you have a display device you’ll see a QR code link on the credits page. Scan the code with your phone to visit the skill’s page on your local Amazon site. We welcome suggestions, feedback and we would love your 5-star rating!